Latin Notes: An all-ages conjunto party

By Hector Saldana :
October 2, 2013
: Updated: October 3, 2013 9:46am

Bene Medina leads a group at the Conjunto Heritage Taller in 2012. The Taller is at the center of conjunto music preservation in San Antonio.

Photo By Helen L. Montoya/San Antonio Express-News

Bene Medina leads a group including Pedro Castaneda and Robert Armendariz at the Conjunto Heritage Taller on Thursday Sept. 5, 2012. The Taller is at the center of Conjunto music preservation in San Antonio and offers music classes on instruments including the accordion and the bajo sexto.

Photo By Helen L. Montoya/San Antonio Express-News

Pedro Castaneda plays the accordion at the Conjunto Heritage Taller on Thursday Sept. 5, 2012. The Taller is at the center of Conjunto music preservation in San Antonio and offers music classes on instruments including the accordion and the bajo sexto.

Photo By Helen L. Montoya/San Antonio Express-News

Pedro Castaneda plays the accordion at the Conjunto Heritage Taller on Thursday Sept. 5, 2012. The Taller is at the center of Conjunto music preservation in San Antonio and offers music classes on instruments including the accordion and the bajo sexto.

Photo By Helen L. Montoya/San Antonio Express-News

Pedro Castaneda plays the accordion at the Conjunto Heritage Taller on Thursday Sept. 5, 2012. The Taller is at the center of Conjunto music preservation in San Antonio and offers music classes on instruments including the accordion and the bajo sexto.

Photo By Helen L. Montoya/San Antonio Express-News

Juan Vera and Angel Alvarez play accordions at the Conjunto Heritage Taller on Thursday Sept. 5, 2012. The Taller is at the center of Conjunto music preservation in San Antonio and offers music classes on instruments including the accordion and the bajo sexto.

Conjunto Heritage Taller's 11th annual Conjunto Heritage Tardeada on Saturday at Maverick Plaza at La Villita promises to push all the right buttons.

That's “buttons” as in button accordion. Served with a side of bajo sexto (the requisite 12-string guitar tuned in fourths), the two instruments form the foundation of conjunto, the Mexican American equivalent of folk and the blues derived from German polkas and Mexican music.

There will be plenty in store at the nonprofit organization's music and food party, which goes on from 6-11 p.m. Admission costs $12; advance tickets cost $10. Children 12 and younger admitted free. For advance tickets call (210) 212-8560.

“They definitely keep the tradition, that old tradition of sitting there with the instructor, one on one, taking the time to learn the basics of the accordion accompaniment of the bajo,” said accordionist Nicolas Valdez of Los Nahuatlatos. “That's really important. It continues that tradition and that legacy that we have in San Antonio.”

“It gives our students an opportunity to show what they are learning,” he said.

“That's an important part of learning, to have the confidence to play in public. This is a chance to highlight the students and let them play in a public setting so they can see what it's all about. That's one of the big things, to show the public this is what we're doing, these are our students, and we're proud of them.”

Lopez said that almost anyone — young and old — can learn the music. Classes are held Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. “It's learnable at all ages. We have students from 6 to 70,” Lopez said.

Musician David Rodriguez of True Stories joined the board of Conjunto Heritage Taller this summer. He's a longtime supporter.

“I'm really right on target with their mission,” said Rodriguez, praising the “amazing young accordion players there.”

For Rodriguez, the move is tied to tradition. It's a family affair, too.

“Growing up here and on Sunday afternoons, I had uncles that were musicians, and they'd get together and jam in the backyard, and that's what exposed me to the music,” he said. “This is a place where that tradition can continue.”